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Welcome to our July edition of Fostering News. There is a lot in this month’s newsletter so please take some time to read the items below. Look out for the recording folder update, important information about booking onto the foster carer conference, training opportunities, FLAG minutes and more! Happy reading 😊
Foster Carer and Staff Conference
You can now book your place at the Foster Carer and Staff conference via My Learning My Career! Everyone is invited but we are asking you to book on so we know how many of you can make it and therefore how many lunches we need to pre-order.
Please can you book on by 31 August so that we can let the venue know how many we need. We are really excited about the day, we have a fantastic line up of guest speakers and interesting workshops. We will be back at the Civic Quarter in Mansfield, welcoming you from 9.30am and finishing up around 2.15pm.
We will not be streaming or recording this event so you should attend if possible but you will be able to add the conference to your learning diary to make up your annual training hours.
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Recording Folder and Policy Update from Ty
Dear Foster Carers,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for all the care and commitment that you continue to provide to the children in your care. As a foster carer, you play a key role in the care of children who are looked after, and you are uniquely placed to record important information during a child’s placement with you. To support you, we have recently updated the recording folder and policy to make the process of recording more streamlined. The majority of the sections have been incorporated within the daily log, rather than having multiple forms to complete.
The recording policy and forms can be accessed at any time and downloaded. I would recommend saving the link in your internet browser as a 'favourite' for easier access in the future. Please take time to familiarise yourself with the updated policy and recording sheets. The policy links to the updated foster carer handbook and Nottinghamshire’s Policy and Procedures Manual. If you have any questions around the policy or forms, then please speak to your supervising social worker. There is also training available via My Learning My Career, to support around recording, should this be needed, as an update or refresher.
If you require a physical copy of the policy and folder, then please speak with your supervising social worker.
Thank you for all you do to support our looked after children and young people.
Ty Yousaf
FLAG Update
Thank you to all the carers who came to the most recent FLAG meeting. There was a brilliant turn out and it was fantastic to see everyone there. If you weren’t able to make it, you can read the minutes from the meeting.
The next FLAG meeting will be on Monday 10 October at 7pm.
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Shark Fin Swimming Aids
Our lovely colleagues in the school swimming team have given us a number of shark fin swimming aids to distribute to our foster families. If you care for a young person who would like a shark fin then please get in touch (email us at fostering@nottscc.gov.uk) and we’ll get one out to you.
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Mileage Claim Update from Sophie
I am pleased to let you all know that we are looking into increasing weekly foster carer payments and we will get some information out to you all about what we are doing in relation to fostering payments shortly. In the meantime, from now on there will be NO CAPS to mileage claims relating to the number of children that you are caring for. All journeys made in relation to the children that you are caring for can be claimed for (taking the child to school, activities, health appointments etc). The claim must be for the car journey and miles completed. This relates to all mileage claimed from 23 June 2022.
Many thanks,
Sophie Eadsforth
Children’s Group Manager
Training Opportunities
There are still some vacancies on the following training courses. Please log on via your My Learning My Career account to book.
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Free Gym Memberships for Looked After Children and Care Leavers
Everyone Active in Ashfield is extending the offer of free membership for all looked after children in their leisure centres.
This means from now, all looked after children (as well as care leavers) can access Everyone Active Leisure Centres for FREE from the age of 0 – 25 (until their 26th birthday).
This also means that if your looked after young person is living outside of Nottinghamshire, but near an Everyone Active Leisure Centre – then you can sign them up for free at that centre… which is an AMAZING offer! There are over 200 Everyone Active Leisure Centres in the UK. The three in Nottinghamshire are Hucknall, Kirkby in Ashfield and Sutton in Ashfield.
Memberships will include:
Cared for children
- Swim
- Synergy dance
- Soft play (From 0 - 10 years)
- Gym (from 11 - 16 years)
Care experienced young people:
To get free access, a social worker or PA will need to register the young person.
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Good news stories
One of our fantastic foster carers has shared this lovely good news story with us about their looked after young person:
“K has lived with us for seven years, she is now 15 years old. She is developing a real interest in catering and is hoping to make a career in this industry. Recently she baked a cake from scratch for the Victoria Sponge cake challenge at the Kneesall Jubilee Celebrations. K's Foster Auntie purchased the ingredients for her and gave her free rein to decorate as she saw fit. K followed a recipe and decorated her cake entirely independently and won first prize in the Under 16s competition! You can see why... See K's cake, on the right, next to the adult winner's cake in the photo above. All of the iced flowers, flags, leaves, crown etc are have been carefully crafted by K.”
Wow! What a talented young person. We are so pleased she won first place. It’s a beautiful cake. If you have a good news story to share then please email us fostering@nottscc.gov.uk
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